Heart's destination
by osuwariboy
Summary: [complete] With Naraku dead and the shikon jewel completed, Inuyasha grows distant from Kagome. Will he be able to open up to her or will his heart remain closed forever?
1. What was it you wanted?

**Disclaimer: **Do you honestly think that I own Inuyasha and any of it's caracters? Really?

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Chapter 1 : What was it you wanted?**

Kagome sat under the goshinboku gazing absently at the sky and letting her mind drift. Ever since the defeat of Naraku and her "official" return to the present, she found herself spending more and more time in this place. Her mother had told her once before that there was some sort of aura emanating from the tree that calmed the soul and cleared the mind. While it was true that she felt at peace sitting there, she knew in her heart that that wasn't the only reason for her seeking this place. It was the one place in her time where she could feel him and sense his presence.

"Inuyasha…" she said longingly.

She had thought that the end of their ordeal would bring everyone closer together and indeed Miroku and Sango had tied the knot, but for her and Inuyasha things were a bit different. He had closed himself up completely and the best she could manage to get out of him when she managed to corner him was his traditional "Feh!".

She had thought then that the hanyou was avoiding her. Most of the time, she could barely get a glimpse of him. Yet, as much as he would seem to flee her company, he never seemed to be far away either. When she walked in the woods alone, she sometimes could catch a glimpse of silver out of the corner of her eyes. She knew then that he was close by, watching over her. However, two nights ago, something happened that made her believe that he was holding something back from her.

---Flashback---

_The day had been long and tiresome. Working with Kaede in the herb garden was never easy work. However, she really loved to do it. Plunging her hands in the soft soil to extract the plants needed for healing was a sensation that she really liked. She also loved all the different fragrances these herbs had. It was all in all a very stimulating experience. It was also very interesting to learn about their different uses._

_"This one is good to help prevent infection while this one will help settle an upset stomach and this one…"_

_It had gone on for hours, Kaede explaining to her the effect the plants had and how to make different remedy. Some other would have found it boring, yet she could simply not get tired of listening to the old woman. Her knowledge of the art of healing was incredible and one could simply not do anything but admire her for it._

_"This is so much more interesting than math, and much more useful to." she thought ruefully after her "lessons". Closing her eyes, she let her mind drift, imagining herself in a miko outfit applying an ointment to a bruised knee or prescribing a specific herbal mix for a particular illness. She couldn't suppress a gasp when she realised what exactly her mind was implying. She looked at her hands then, dirty from a day of working in the garden and flexed her finger as if testing them._

_"You know I could… I really could do this.." she whispered. The realisation that she could envision her future more clearly 500 years in the past then in her own time was so astounding that it took her a minute to realise that Kaede was speaking to her. "W...What was that Kaede?" she asked a bit embarassed that she hadn't been paying attention to the old miko._

_"I said are ye alright Kagome, ye look like something important just came crashing on ye."_

_"I'm alright, thank you Kaede, it's just that…" she hesitated then, not sure herself if this was just a fluke or if her heart really did belong here. She finally decided to ask the miko some advice about it. "Well… you see I found that today was really fun, working in the garden and learning a bit about the art of healing. And then I let my mind drift and I pictured myself administering different infusions and ointments to people. So I realized that I could see my future more clearly here than in my own time. But still, I'm not sure if this is really the right thing to do."_

_"Well it is indeed a big decision to make. Of course if ye do decide to stay, everyone will welcome ye with open arms, but no one will think any less of ye should ye choose the other option. Though I do think that a certain hanyou would prefer if ye stayed."_

_"Yes, I think so to, but recently, all he seems to do is try to avoid me. I just wish he would open up to me." she said sadly._

_"Do not worry child, he is currently struggling with his own heart, when he is ready he will come to ye, but until then, there is very little ye can do except wait and show him that ye are there for him."_

_"Thanks for your advice Kaede. I think I'll go to sleep now, today was really tiring." she said stiffling a yawn. Her conversation hadn't helped at all. If anything, she felt even more confused now. Bringing Inuyasha in the picture had definitively not been a good idea on Kaede's part. Or had it been? Now that she thought about it, her choice depended greatly on Inuyasha's feelings for her. _"She's really too sharp for her own good." _she__thought before sleep overtook her._

_She didn't know how long she had slept, but it was still night. She was dead tired and longed more than anything to go back to her slumber, but something woke her up. She wasn't sure exactly what it was though. She was sleeping near the far wall, facing the door. So when she cracked an eye open, she simply could not miss the shape outlined by the moon standing a few paces away from her. It was him, Inuyasha. He was there, his silver hair shining brightly, his dog ears were drooped slightly as if he was afraid. As her gaze locked with his, she could see a whirlwind of emotions in his eyes. Almost like he was in a trance, he started to bring his hand closer to her face. His trembling fingers were a mere inch from their destination when he suddenly recoiled violently. He stood there for a few seconds, a look of horror in his eyes. He looked like someone who had been about to commit some unspeakable crime and had pulled out at the last second. Before she could do anything though he bolted out the door._

_"Inuyasha, wait!" she cried, but by the time she was out of her sleeping bag and outside the hut, he was long gone. "What was that Inuyasha, what were you so afraid of?"_

---End Flashback---

No matter how many times she played the scene in her head, she couldn't make any sense of it. At first, the hanyou had acted like he wanted desperately to touch her. _"Not that I would have minded." _mused Kagome. The simple thought of feeling his warm hand cupping her cheek was enough to send shivers of pleasure down her spine. But then he had pulled back, suddenly afraid of something. Scratch that, he hadn't been afraid, he had been positively terrified. But for the life of her, she couldn't figure out what had triggered this reaction.

"If only you could open up to me Inuyasha, what was it you wanted that night, what was it that you were afraid of?" she asked no one in particular. Her train of thought was interrupted when her mother called.

"Dinner's ready dear."

"Coming mom." she answered. With a sigh, she hoisted herself up in a standing position and headed inside to join her family.

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**Author's notes:** Well that's it for the first chapter. Kaede's speech gave me a headache, so if anyone sees a mistake, please report it to me. I also TRIED to stay true to the original personnality of the caracters, but it's not an easy thing to do. So I ask you to bear with any deviation you might notice. Well I hope you enjoyed it, please Read and review.  



	2. Asking for help

**Disclaimer:** I said it once and I'll say it again, I do not own Inuyasha and the caracters in this story

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Chapter 2 : Asking for help**

Inuyasha sat in the branch of a tree, watching as Kagome said goodbye to Miroku, Sango and Shippo. His keen ears were easily able to pick up what they were saying despite the distance.

"When will you return Kagome-sama?" asked the monk.

"If everything goes well, I should be back un 5 days."

"Take care Kagome-chan, we'll be waiting for you." said Sango.

"Yeah, and don't forget your promise Kagome." added Shippo.

"Don't worry Shippo, I won't forget your chocolate." giggled Kagome while ruffling the kitsune's hair. Her expression sombered and she added "If you happen to see Inuyasha, would you give him the ramen I brought for him and tell him I say hello?"

"We will see to it that both food and greetings shall be passed to Inuyasha, do not worry." answered the monk.

With one last goodbye, she jumped down the well and was gone to her time, away from him for five days. He sighed, though he wasn't sure if it was relief or disappointment. When she was there, her sent was all over the place, he couldn't be anywhere without smelling it. The problem wasn't that he disliked it, it was in fact the opposite. He liked it too much for his own good. Whenever he picked it up, his heart would start beating a hundred miles a minute and he would be attracted to its source like a magnet.

It was unnerving to know that a woman could have such an effect on him. Not even Kikyo had triggered such a powerful reaction. Alright, it wasn't unnerving, it was downright scary. Whenever he saw her, all he wanted to do was hold her to him and never let go. Whenever she was here, he would spend all his time looking at her. The way her hair shined in the sun, the way her hips swayed when she walked, the way her eyes glinted when she laughed. Everything about her screamed at him to come closer, but he simply couldn't bring himself to do it.

It was a few hours later that the scent of the monk suddenly caught his nose. Sure enough, a few minutes later Miroku appeared under his tree and called out to him. Knowing that it would be rather pointless to hide, he jumped down from his perch and scowled at the intruder.

"How is it monk that you always manage to find me wherever I am." Asked Inuyasha pretty annoyed that his brooding had been interrupted.

"Well you seem to forget that I can sense demonic auras and seeing as you are a hanyou, I can feel your presence easily. But even without this ability, I simply knew that I would find you here in the goshinboku. You are always in its branches when Kagome-sama is away in her time." Answered the monk in a very serious tone of voice.

"Stop making fun of me you letcherous monk." Growled Inuyasha, his patience toward the man in front of him fading rapidly.

"The idea did not even cross my mind" answered Miroku. Upon seeing the hanyou's death glare, he hastily continued. "Anyway, you probably heard already, but Kagome-sama sends her greetings to you. She also brought food from her time. It is in this pouch."

Without another word, the hanyou grabbed the bag from Miroku and turned to jump back in the tree. Just as he was about to leap though he noticed that his visitor was not leaving as he had expected. In fact he was looking at him like he wanted to say something more.

"What's the matter Miroku, something else you want to say to me?"

Miroku stayed silent for a few seconds, unsure if voicing his thought was really going to change anything to the situation. "You do realise that you can't hide forever do you Inuyasha? One day or the other, you are going to have to speak to Kagome if you do not want her to go away forever." he said, finally deciding that his thought was worth sharing with the hanyou in front of him.

Inuyasha knew that the monk was right. Miroku, despite his letcherous nature, could be surprisingly wise and his advice was almost always sound. He would have wanted to snap at him and tell him to mind his own business, but he remained silent. _"If you do not want her to go away forever."_ those words the monk had spoken were spinning in his head. _"she wouldn't do that would she? She wouldn't leave me…she…can't…" _he thought frantically. The very idea that Kagome would disappear from his life forever froze him to the bone. He couldn't bring himself to even think about it.

Meanwhile, a pretty surprised Miroku was looking at Inuyasha. He had expected the hanyou to snap at him, but instead he had remained silent. "Think about it Inuyasha, Kagome will not wait forever." he said before walking away.

Those last words brought Inuyasha out of his trance and he watched as the monk walked away. He suddenly felt ready to burst, the realisation that Kagome would not wait forever sent painful wrenching in his heart. He could not bear to have this happen. His throat felt dry and he could feel tears starting to form in his eyes. Desperation started creeping inside of him as he realised that he would never have the guts to approach Kagome, no matter how powerful his desire was. _"God help me, I don't want to lose her!"_ he thought as the tears that had built up started streaming down his cheeks. He looked at the retreating monk, his vision blurry, yet he couldn't bring himself to wipe his eyes to clear it. He then made his decision _"I won't let her disappear from my life, no matter what the cost." _he thought fiercely.

"Monk." he said barely loud enough for even him to hear. He cursed his voice for failing him now and tried again. "Miroku!" he managed to croak trying desperately to hold back the sobs that threatened to overtake him. This time he was loud enough and Miroku stopped and turned to face him.

When Miroku heard Inuyasha's call he knew something was wrong. But nothing could have prepared him for what he saw when he turned around. The hanyou was standing there with a look of pure desperation in his eyes and he was… crying. He was totally speechless at the spectacle before him and yet what the hanyou said next made him think that the world had come to an end.

"I…I…need…help."

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**Author's note:** Second chapter's up people, I hope this time my story will appear in the list, if not, well I'll just kill some people. As always, read and review, for those who will actually see this story


	3. A friend's advice

Disclaimer: Do I even need to repeat myself? I do not own Inuyasha and the gang!!!

Note: I'd like to thanks metrion for reviewing :))))) Sorry about the chapter length, I know they're small, but well it's my first work and I wanted to keep everything simple. It's also true that Inuyasha is a little OOC, but I'm afraid you're going to have to bear with me on this, changing his personnality would require too much work so sorry. Well that's it, on with the story...

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Chapter 3 : A friend's advice**

To say Miroku was astonished was probably the understatement of the century. He couldn't possibly believe that Inuyasha had put away everything that he was and asked for help. It took him a moment to snap back to reality and make his way to the hanyou. He then settled down on a root of the tree and motioned for Inuyasha to do the same. The hanyou nodded and complied.

"Now then Inuyasha, please explain."

Inuyasha stared at the monk intentely trying to detect any sign of mockery, but he only saw seriousness in Miroku's eyes mixed with a bit of surprise and curiosity. _"It's definitively not like me to do that, so I suppose it's natural for him to be surprised." _thought Inuyasha feeling a bit relieved and surprised himself that someone would actually answer his call for help. He then took a deep breath and started to explain everything to the monk.

"I don't want to lose her Miroku. I can't bear the thought of never seeing her again. But… I… every time I try to get close to her, to talk to her…" his voice cracked at that point and he couldn't continue.

"I see, so basically you lose your nerve when you're near her." concluded the monk, seeing that Inuyasha was unable to continue. The hanyou nodded and Miroku continued. "Inuyasha the simple fact that we are having this conversation proves the extent of your feelings for Kagome. So I ask you, if you're willing to talk to me, why is it that you cannot talk to her?"

"Because… whenever I get within ten feet of her, I have this overwhelming urge to… to…hold her so tight that neither of us can breath. It's overpowering me…and I…I…I'm afraid that in the midst of all this… I end up hurting her…" he whispered. "If I were to harm her in anyway… I would never forgive myself."

Miroku frowned a bit at this declaration. _"That is just a weak excuse to hide from the truth. I must get him to lower his defenses or we'll never unveil the core of his problem." _thought the monk. "There's more to this is there Inuyasha?"

At this question, the hanyou's eyes snapped back from the ground they had been so interested in to focus instead on the monk sitting in front of him. It took him a long time to find the courage to speak again. "How… how can I ask her…to…give up… her time…her family…her future…for…me?" he finally managed to murmur, lowering his gaze once again to the ground.

_"No good, he's still running away." _thought Miroku feeling his patience beginning to wane. "Inuyasha, have you even considered that she might actually want to give up life in her time to stay here? And also, even if she stayed here, what's preventing her from using the jewel to cross the well and see her family like she is doing now?"

"But… I don't wanna force her hand. I want her to make her own decision."

The monk sighted and rubbed his forehead in annoyance at the hanyou's stubbornness. He remained silent for a while, raking his brain for a way to alleviate his fears. "Inuyasha, for the sake of argument, let us put you in Kagome's place. You experience time travel and happen to fall in love with a girl in the future. You discover that the girl loves you back, but do not want to live in your era. Now if you decided to go live with her in the future, would you consider that your "hand had been forced" like you so crudely put it earlier?"

The hanyou didn't even bother to answer, he knew Miroku was right. The worst part of it all was that the monk had simply voiced what his heart had known all along. "Damn it Miroku!" he snapped "What is it then? What am I so afraid of? Why do I flee whenever she comes near me?" he asked his voice full of despair and confusion.

_"Finally, now we can get somewhere." _thought the monk with relief. "Well Inuyasha, I'm afraid I can't find the answer for you. The only thing I can do is analyse what you have said to me and try to draw a conclusion."

"Well then, for starters, I think you realised that most of what you told me were just silly excuses." He looked over to Inuyasha who simply nodded. Satisfied that the hanyou was in agreement he continued. "There are however some truths that can be extracted from all of this. First, you are afraid of something, but of what exactly, that remain to be determined. Secondly, you do not want to hurt her, I doubt any comments are needed on this. Thirdly, you have very powerful feelings for her, our little conversation is proof enough of that."

The monk marked a pause to allow what he had said to sink in and finally concluded. "That is about as far as I can go in analysing the problem. I do not know if this alone will help… " he didn't get to finish his sentence though as Inuyasha suddenly jerked as if struck by lightning. "Inuyasha?" he asked tentatively, but there was no reaction on the hanyou's part.

Inuyasha's mind was working overtime so it was not really a surprise that he hadn't heard the monk's question. Bits and pieces of information had suddenly started to assemble themselves around a word Miroku had said. _"Alone… could this be it? Could it be that I'm afraid to be alone?"_ The more he thought about it the more sense it made.

It was like a curtain had suddenly been lifted from his eyes. Everything started to make sense. He was afraid that if he touched her, she would disappear forever. And if she could go away, what would keep the rest of them from disappearing to. Miroku, Sango, Shippo, Kaede, all the people who had accepted him, people who he had learned to respect and depend on. No, he couldn't possibly bear to be alone, not now when he had just started to trust again after so long. _"I won't let her disappear!"_ He thought fiercely for the second time that day. And with that in mind, he focused sharply on the monk in front of him

Miroku who had been watching Inuyasha intently was startled when the hanyou's gaze suddenly focused on him. He was surprised at the intensity of the look he saw in Inuyasha's eyes and even more surprised at the request he formulated.

"Miroku, in 5 days, when Kagome returns, I will be in this very spot waiting to talk to her. Can you send her to me?" he practically demanded.

"Why not simply go to her now and be done with it?" inquired the monk.

At this the hanyou's ears dropped a little "I don't have the nerve to go to her, but if she comes to me… I believe I can pull it off." he answered quietly.

The monk smiled at Inuyasha and stood up. "I swear to you that it will be the very first thing I will say to her when she exits the well. And I also promise that I will not talk about this conversation to anyone, so do not worry about it." He said before starting to walk away. He had barely taken two steps before he turned around once again. "One more thing Inuyasha, sometimes actions speak louder than words, try to remember it." And with those final words he was gone.

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Author's note: This note is essentially to explain Miroku's personnality. While he IS and will always be a hopeless womanizer, I also found that he could be surprisingly wise when it came to important matters. Considering that Inuyasha's problem IS serious, I wanted him to actually help the poor guy with his wisdom. He even showed honor by promising not to tell anyone about what they actually talked about so as not to embarass our poor hanyou even more than he actually is. Well that's it, for now, as always, read and review people !!!  



	4. Goodbye my friends

Disclaimer: Well here goes again, I do not own Inuyasha and the gang!!!!

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Chapter 4 : Goodbye my friends**

Kagome looked at her answer sheet a bit discouraged. Most of if was a complete blank and what little she had filled was definitively not going to earn her many points. While she should have been upset at the situation, the only thing that she felt right now was indifference. She looked at her right hand, noticing that a bit of dirt remained under her fingernails for all the gardening with Kaede. It was so easy to picture herself in a red and white outfit working in the herb garden under the watchful gaze of a certain hanyou. Sighting, she glanced at the clock _"Only five more minutes and it's finally over."_ she thought.

It wasn't long before the said time was over and she was on her way home. Her mind a million miles away, thinking of a hanyou with silver hair and trying to imagine how it would feel to be in his arms. In fact, she was so far gone in her fantasies that she never heard her friends calling to her. It wasn't until Eri pulled her sleeve that she snapped back to reality. "Wh… What is it?"

"Are you alright Kagome? These days you seem sorta down. I mean, you hardly put any effort in anything you do." said Eri visibly concerned for her friend.

"That's right, you used to be one of the top student of our class, but now it's a miracle that you're even allowed to be attending." Ayumi continued.

"And the worst part is that it doesn't even phase you. You keep having that dreamy look in your eyes like your mind is a hundred miles away. It wouldn't have anything to do with that boyfriend of yours would it Kagome?" asked Yuka equally concerned.

_"Not a hundred miles away, 500 years in the past."_ thought Kagome sadly. "My life is extremely complicated right now and there are a lot of things I need to think about, my boyfriend being only one of them." she lied, hoping to get herself off the hook. The only real issue was if Inuyasha loved her or not. If he did, everything would fall into place perfectly. If he didn't… well she'd rather not think about that possibility.

"If you explained what is happening to us, maybe we could help you Kagome. I mean we're friends right?" said Eri looking at her expectantly.

_"Damn they're so persistent, why can't they just get the clue that I want to be left alone?" _She thought angrily. "Look…" She was interrupted by a male voice calling her name. _"Oh no! Not him, not now!"_ her anger and frustration already at a dangerous level suddenly climbed higher as Hojo made his way to them. _"I have to get out of here or I'm going to explode."_ she thought frantically.

"Hello Higurashi-san…" he started before a very annoyed Kagome interrupted him.

"Look everyone, I'm really not feeling well right now and the only thing I want to do is go home and rest. So I would appreciate it if you could leave me alone right now. And Hojo, I can't go out with you not this weekend nor any other after that and please stop buying me gifts, it's really quite unnecessary." She said in a strained voice, trying desperately not to snap at the four people in front of her.

"Actually, I won't be there at all this summer, my parents and I are going on a trip to America so I won't be able to see you and with all this studying, I really didn't have time to buy you anything. I was going to apologise about it, but it doesn't look like it's going to be necessary. I was only wondering how you did on that last test." asked a surprised Hojo.

This question caught Kagome completely off gard and all she could do was stare at them, unable to answer. As she looked at each of their faces, she felt her anger fade away. She realised that they were the only people aside from her family that cared about her in this time. _"That's right, they care about me and to thank them for their concern, I snap at them. When did I become such a cold hearted person?" _she thought suddenly feeling bad about her previous behavior. She suddenly noticed that they were looking at her expecting an answer.

"I'd be surprised if my score reached a two digit number." She finally answered with a hunch of her shoulders. No matter how unimportant that last test had seemed to her, it still hurt a little to know that she had failed so miserably.

They all gasped at her reply. It was Eri that finally broke their horrified silence by saying "Kagome, that's horrible, you're going to have to regroup your grade." This reply was met by a stern gaze from the other three people. "Don't worry Kagome-chan, we'll stick by you no matter what happens, right guys?" Yuka hurriedly added while turning her gaze to her friends who all nodded in response to her question.

_"School… grades… it all seems so pointless, so insignificant after all that I've been through with Inuyasha and the others. The pain and suffering we've all had to endure, it made us all grow up, it made _me_ grow up. I just wish there was a way I could tell them that, but it's impossible." _she thought before an idea formed in her head _"That might just work, well… here goes nothing…"_.

"Thank you all, I'm really touched that you care. But it doesn't bother me as much as you might think. You see, my numerous sickness made me realise that there's more to life than books, grades and college entrance exams. All the pain and suffering I had to endure changed me profoundly. It made me grow up in such a way that I don't feel as close to you all as I used to. I tried to close that gap, I tried to go back to the one I was before, but I can't. Your friendship is very dear to me, but now I just can't help but feel like we're in two different worlds."

She paused for a second to look at them before continuing with her semi-lie. "I'm going to go away with my boyfriend for a while. We don't know where or for how long, but we don't care. We both want to live and enjoy our existence while we can."

None of them spoke for a long time. Kagome's declaration had shook them up pretty badly and none of them knew how to react. They finally understood what had been plaguing her, but with that understanding came another realisation :She was trying to say goodbye to them.

"Higurashi… when exactly are you going?" Hojo finally asked.

"Probably tomorrow, when my boyfriend comes to pick me up." Kagome answered.

"That's perfect then!" he exclaimed stunning everyone. "Higurashi, you're coming with us tonight. We're going to make it the night to end all night. Let's eat until we can't even look at food without being sick! Let's dance until our legs give away! Let's sing until our voice is raw! Come on girls, lets make our last night together a night to remember!" he finished looking at everyone expectantly.

It wasn't long before everyone started agreeing to his plan and Kagome was soon met with a chorus of "Yeah!" and "Come on lets do it!".

She stood there unmoving, unable to believe that her friends were actually going to throw her a goodbye party. _"My friends… Yeah that's right… They really are… my friends."_ she thought as she looked at their expectant faces. Tears started to form in her eyes as her gaze traveled from Eri to Ayumi to Yuka and finally to Hojo. And suddenly she couldn't hold back any longer, she threw herself at her friends and burst out crying. "You guys… you're the best… you're really the best… Thank you." she said between sobs.

It was really quite a touching scene. The four girls huddled together whith Hojo hovering in the background not sure how to fit in this whole picture. Finally, the tears dried out and Kagome broke free of the embrace and made her way to the only boy of their group. "Hojo…" she started but was cut short.

"Don't say anything Higurashi. One day, I'll find someone just as good as you are." he said with an understanding smile.

"You will, I'm sure of it." she said, smiling back. With that said, she turned around to face the three girls. "Alright you guys, what do you say we show this world what it really means to party!" she exclaimed, feeling like her old self again.

Her friends all sensed it to, their Kagome was back. Even if it was just for tonight, she was really back and they wouldn't waste this opportunity. Tonight was really going to be a night to remember, they would make sure of it. "Lets do it!" they all cried in one voice and with that they were off.

"Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Inuyasha… I wont be able to make it today, I'm sorry. But today is my goodbye party and I don't intend to miss it." she thought to herself before hurrying after her friends.

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**Author's note:** This chapter was a real pain to write, I had no idea how to allow Kagome to make a closure with her friends without making her sound bitchy. I have to admit that I'm proud of how everything turned out. Also before you start throwing tomatoes at me, I DO NOT say that school is unimportant. Being a bachelor myself I can easily understand the importance of education in everyday life. So just bear with it, it's just a story after all. Thank you


	5. An unbreakable bond

**Disclaimer:**Yet again, I repeat myself, I do not own Inuyasha nor any of the caracters in this story  
**Note:** Thank you to Inu-KagomeFan for reviewing :)))))))))))

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Chapter 5 : An unbreakable bond**

Kagome's eyelids felt like lead as she tried to force them open. Glancing at the clock, she noticed that it was eleven in the morning. "Must get up…" she mumbled before closing her eyes again. A few minutes later a lound thump could be heard coming from her bedroom. Her mother who happened to pass by the door couldn't suppress her curiosity as to what exactly had caused this sound.

"Is everything okay dear?" she asked opening the door to peek inside. She instantly regretted not having a camera. Her daughter was lying at the foot of the bed with most of the covers on top of her. She had quite litteraly "dragged herself out of bed". It was all Kagome's mother could do to suppress her laughter. "Can I do anything to help dear?" she finally managed to ask. The only thing she had for an answer was a muffled groan. Taking that as a yes, she proceeded to untangle Kagome from her sheets and then sat her promptly on the bed. "Now I'll prepare you a bath dear, don't go anywhere." That last order was quite unnecessary as it was pretty obvious that Kagome was not in any state disobey it.

Her mother's little interlude had succeeded in lifting most of the fog that refused to leave Kagome's mind though. So when she heard that the bath was ready, she managed to answer coherently this time and head for the bathroom. It was not an easy treck as every muscle in her body screamed in protest at every movement she made.

"Will you be alright by yourself dear?" asked her mother when she finally arrived at her destination.

"I'll manage, thanks mom." she answered in a raspy voice.

"Looks like _someone_ went all out last night." said her mother in a falsely stern tone of voice. "Well, I'll leave you to your bath dear, I'll have breakfast ready when you get down." she said with a smile before closing the bathroom door.

Kagome quickly undressed and slipped in the warm water. She sighed deeply as the heat soothed her aching body. Last night had indeed been a night to remember. She couldn't remember doing so many things in such a short time. Singing, dancing, eating, they had done it all. Of course, now she was paying the price as her voice was raspy and she was so stiff that she couldn't even walk properly.

She stayed in the bath until the water started to turn cold. After that she dried herself off, got dressed and went downstairs to meet her mother feeling immensely better. "So it looks you can move again, dear." said her mother making one of her rare jokes.

"Very funny mom." Kagome said trying to sound offended, but failing miserably.

"So when exactly are you going to the feudal era?" continued her mother while serving her a plate of pancakes.

"I'll start packing my bag after breakfast and then I'm off. I should stay there for the week." Kagome said. "Anyway, that's about as long as the supply I'll bring will last. I swear, I wonder sometime how they can eat so much without bursting." she added with a chuckle.

After that she quieted down and started to eat while her mother busied herself in tidying up the kitchen. She was about halfway through her plate when she started to notice that her mother was acting strangely. She kept glancing at her with an unreadable look in her eyes when she thought she wasn't looking. She shrugged it off as her imagination at first, but by the time her food was finished, she was certain that something was on her mother's mind.

"Thanks mom it was really delicious." she said while bringing her plate to the sink. After she finished washing it, she turned to her mother. "Now, what is it?" she asked shooting her a knowing glance.

Instead of answering right away, her mother sighed and sat down at the kitchen table motioning for Kagome to do the same. "Well dear, I've noticed that ever since the end of your quest in the past, you've started to drift more and more. You no longer put any effort in anything. Whenever you're here, you spend your time under the goshinboku sulking. Kagome it's easy to see that your heart is no longer here but 500 years in the past."

Kagome sighed a little, as usual her mother had been right on the spot about her problem. "You're right mom, I have noticed it too. I've drifted away from almost everything here. When I'm here, I miss everyone: Sango, Shippo, Miroku, Kaede and most of all Inuyasha. But when I'm in the past, I don't seem to miss the friends I left here: Hojo, Eri, Yuka, and Ayumi. Quite frankly this doesn't feel like home anymore." she finished lowering her gaze to the table.

"Have you considered making the jump for good?" questionned her mother.

"Yes… I have thought about it a lot and my decision is pretty much taken. But there's one thing that keeps me from making the jump." she said, uncertainty appearing in her eyes.

"That Inuyasha fellow, right?" asked her mother softly.

"Yes, he's been avoiding me completely ever since the end of our quest. I wish I could talk to him, look into his eyes and soothe his tormented soul. But he won't allow me to approach him." She said feeling tears starting to build up in her eyes.

"Now now dear, no need to get upset. I have a feeling that everything will turn out just fine. From what I could see, Inuyasha cares deeply for you. Eventually he will come to you I'm sure of it." Her mother said while taking her daughter's hand in her own. "Just promise me one thing Kagome. When the time comes for you to go… Please do not do so without saying goodbye."

"Oh mom…" Kagome started feeling tears slipping down her cheeks "I wouldn't even dream of doing something like this."

They stayed like that for a while, holding hands and looking in each other's eyes. Under her mother's peaceful gaze, Kagome could feel all the fears and uncertainties that had plagued her mind a few moments before disappear. "Thanks… mom." Kagome finally said with a smile on her face. "You're welcome… dear." her mother answered simply.

Two simple sentences and yet Kagome could feel something pass, something that went far beyond the words. An understanding, an acknowledgement, a promise, she wasn't sure exactly how to call it, but she knew her mother had felt it to. She squeezed her mother's hands one last time before standing up and going packing her bag for her journey to the past.

The older woman remained where she was looking at her daughter's back as she retreated to her room to fill her bag. Had Kagome turned around at that moment, she would have seen a tear streaming down her mother's cheek. It was hastily wiped away though and a smile replaced it. _"My daughter… you've grown into a wonderful young woman. But please… remember that I will always be… your mother."

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_**Author's note:** Well one thing on that last statement before you all start to say "Well duh!!!". What I wanted to picture in this chapter is the fact that Kagome's mother will always be there to help her no matter what her age. I wanted to show that the bond between a parent and it's child is impossible to break, thus the name of this chapter. Well that's it for now, as always read and review._  
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	6. Feelings revealed

**Disclaimer:** Well I said it and I'll say it again, Inuyasha and the gang does not belong to me.  
**Note:** Another review from demdova this time, I can't believe it, 3 reviews for my first story, thank you :))))))

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Chapter 6 : Feelings revealed**

Miroku sat lazily against the well happy that the others had not decided to bug him like they did the day before about his insistance to wait for Kagome by the well. He had said it was to help her carry her bag to town, but they had not bought it. Truth be told, he would have been surprised if they had, but it was the only thing he could think of at the moment. So most of the day yesterday had been spent fending off their constant curiosity. At dusk, they had finally realised that they wouldn't be able to get anything out of him and had left him to enjoy a few hours of peace and tranquility. She had not arrived the previous day however so he was here again today hoping that Kagome would arrive soon.

His patience was eventually rewarded around midday as a shuffling sound and a few curses were heard from the bottom of the well. "Is everything alright Kagome-sama?" he asked peering down.

"Miroku?" asked the surprised teenager. "What are you doing here?" she finished confused. While her friends would most of the time be close to the well to greet her when she got back, they never actually sat BY the well like the monk had obviously been doing.

"Don't you think it would be best if I answered that question _after_ you get out of the well?" he answered with a tint of humor in his voice.

"Right." she said seeing the wisdom of his words. She then proceeded to climb the rope ladder she and her friends had installed for convenience reasons. When she was within range, Miroku extended his hand and helped her out for the last few steps.

"_Are_ you alright Kagome-sama, you look a bit… tired." Asked the monk once he had taken in her appearance.

"I'll be fine Miroku, my friends and I simply had a little too much fun yesterday so basically I'm paying the price today." she said with a small chuckle. "You however owe me an explanation. What were you doing sitting by the well waiting for me?" she asked in a demanding tone.

"You see I promised Inuyasha that I would deliver a message to you. He said he would wait for you under the goshinboku." He started.

Upon hearing the hanyou's name, Kagome's mind froze. _"He wants to see me! What could he want? Is he alright?"_ her mind was flooded with questions all of which she couldn't answer. "When?" she finally managed to whisper her heart hammering in her chest in anticipation.

"Well according to his word, he sould be there right now." the monk answered.

At that news, Kagome let out a small gasp and Miroku, who had been looking intently at her reaction could see tears starting to form in her eyes. Before he had time to muse on this though, the girl had bolted off at full speed in the direction Inuyasha was waiting. _"So much for being sore."_ he thought ruefully. "Well then, I better get you to the village." he spoke to Kagome's discarded backpack. He slung it on his shoulder and turned around only to be confronted by a very angry Sango. _"Maybe keeping my promise to Inuyasha will not be as easy as I thought at first."_ reflected the monk feeling a trickle of sweat running down his back.

"Alright Miroku… Spill!" demanded Sango in an icy tone.

Inuyasha was standing under the tree, true to his word. He had smelled her the minute she had exited the well and instantly his heart had started hammering in his chest. Every fiber of his being commanded him to run away as fast as he could, but he had managed to resist it so far. But now she was getting closer and the instinct was also getting increasingly more difficult to control. In one last effort to control his behavior, he dug his claws in the palm of his hands, his knuckles turning white with the effort. Then without warning she was here. Her chocolate eyes fell immediately on him and he suddenly felt rooted to the spot.

"Inu… yasha." She said slightly breathless from the run she had taken to come here from the well. A small gust of wind sent a whiff of her scent his way and he reeled back from the shock. Her natural aroma mixed with the more tangy odor of sweat made his head spin. _"How can she smell so good?"_ he thought as he tried desperately to get his body to obey his will once more.

For her part Kagome didn't know what to make of the hanyou's reaction. Almost as soon as she had entered the clearing, he had fallen to one knee and was now hunched over as if the wind had been knocked out of him. _"What the hell is wrong with him?"_ she thought worriedly. Determined find what was afflicting Inuyasha, she made her way to him and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Inuyasha, what's wrong?" she asked concern evident in her voice.

As soon as he had felt her touch, the hanyou's eyes had suddenly widened in surprise. _"No! This is too much! Please Kagome let me breath!"_ he thought desperately as shivers started to run down his spine at her touch. He was panting now, trying desperately to hold on to his sanity as his mind was assaulted in every direction by the girl in front of him.

Kagome was worried, she could feel his body trembling under her hand. His muscles were so tense that she was surprised they hadn't snapped already. His breathing was coming in short, strangled gasps. She was afraid he was going to suffocate at this rate. She was about to ask him what was wrong again when his voice interrupted her. "Ka… go… me!" he said in a hoarse whisper.

His head, up to now, had been lowered and it's position had not allowed her to get a good look at his face. However, when he had pronounced her name, he had slowly shifted his gaze from the ground to her face. She felt her heart frantically trying to leap out of her chest at the look she saw in his eyes. _"It's the same look he had in Kaede's hut a few nights ago."_ she realised. She suddenly felt a surge of hope rising in her chest. _"Could it be that…"_ she started unable to finish her thought.

Inuyasha couldn't for the life of him look away from Kagome's eyes. He was drowning in the depth of her hazel orbs so it was no surprise when he noticed her gaze changing from concerned to hopeful. _"Dammit! She's hoping now… I gotta talk! Work you stupid mouth! WORK!"_ he cried in his mind.

Yet as much as he tried, he couldn't get any words passed his constricted throat. He was growing desperate now, _"THREE WORDS FOR HEAVEN'S SAKE! SAY THEM!"_ his mind yelled, but it was no use. He could see doubt starting to show in Kagome's eyes and his heart sank at this. _"No! Please no!"_ he cried. _"God help me, I have to say it!" _he thought frantically.

Wether god had helped him or not, his prayer was answered when the figure of Miroku appeared in his mind. The parting words he had said to him suddenly coming back _"sometimes actions speak louder than words" _he had said. _"THAT'S IT!"_ his mind screamed in triomph and before he could even stop himself, he had Kagome wrapped in his arms and his lips pressed to hers. She tensed up against him and for one mortal second, he thought that he had done something wrong. She quickly relaxed though and as her arms came around him and she began to kiss back he knew everything would be okay, he knew that she had understood what his voice had been unable to tell her. The tension started to drain from his body and he could feel himself being carried away by a powerful flow of emotions. Before he was completely gone though he managed one last thank you for wathever diety had made him remember the monk's last words in time.

Kagome had pictured herself kissing Inuyasha many times before. The taste of his lips, the feel of his arms, the silkiness of his hair, the rippling muscles under his haori. There was not a single detail she had not envisionned. Yet nothing she had imagined came even remotely close to what she was experiencing now. Ripples of pleasure coursed through her body as her hanyou tightened his embrace. She felt herself respond in kind by pressing her lips harder against his trying to deepen the kiss even more if that was possible. Her tongue started to probe his mouth gently, begging for entrance and she moaned in pleasure when he complied and she was allowed to explore the confines of his warm cavern. She moaned even more when his own tongue started to dance with hers in a waltz of intoxicating passion. Nature, however, can have a way of ruining the most perfect of moments. In this case, the need for air eventually became too great to ignore and they both had to break away in order not to suffocate.

Over the course of the years, Inuyasha had built a virtual fortress in order to protect himself from the constant abuse his hanyou heritage attracted. But then Kagome had come into his life and the shell had started to crack. Her infinite patience and kindness had gradually wore away all of his layers of protection. And now, as his golden eyes stared into her deep hazel orbs, the last wall crumbled into dust. His heart, frozen cold by years of suffering started beating again and for the first time in a long time, he felt truly alive.

"I… love you Kagome." He finally managed to say in a low voice.

"I love you too… Inuyasha." She answered, smiling tenderly at him before snuggling against his chest and sighing in contentment.

At the sound of these words, the hanyou felt a surge of happiness course through his body. True, he had known about it when they shared the kiss, but actually hearing her say it made a world of difference. Burying his face in her hair, he closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, allowing her sweet sent to permeate his senses. As he gently caressed her silky hairs, he let his mind drift, remembering all the things they had been through together. He couldn't suppress a light chuckle at the strange irony of the situation.

"What's so funny Inuyasha?" asked Kagome pulling slightly away to look in his eyes.

"Well… it's just that… 53 years ago, Kikyo pinned me to this tree. Then, three years ago, you came and lifted her curse. And now… you and I…" he said looking at her fondly. "It's just that every important event in my life seems to happen under this tree."

"You're right." she said giggling lightly. "So I suppose that having our wedding ceremony in this spot will be the natural thing to do." she added.

"Yeah, I…" he started before his mind suddenly realised what she had just said. "Kagome, are you… I mean… Did you just?…" he trailed off looking at her face intently.

Her lips curved upward in a mischevious grin "Oh? Did I just what Inuyasha?" she answered her eyes glinting in amusement at seeing her hanyou's embarassement.

He looked at her for a few seconds trying to discern any sign of deception, but he could not see any. He did note however that she was enjoying his surprise a little too much for his taste. _"So that's how you want to play it he? Well let's see how you handle that one."_ He thought wickedly. "Well I suppose I'll be a sight to see. I can already picture myself wearing a cap and a pair of gloves on my way to the local store to buy ramen." He said in a pensive voice.

"Oh god, now _that_ I would definitively have to see." She said bursting out laughing. It died in a strangled choke though as the full implication of his retort suddenly came to her mind. If she had had any doubts, seeing his satisfied expression wiped them all away. "_You_? Being subtle? When on earth did that happen?" she said looking at him in astonishement.

"Feh!" he said putting on his traditional scowl. "So now I'm a brainless idiot, is that it you stupid wench?" he said trying to sound offended, but failing miserably.

"You're a terrible liar, you know that?" she said giggling at his pitiful performance.

"Oh! Making fun of me now are you? You're not getting away with this!" he said in an overly dramatic voice.

She laughed out loud this time at his antic, until she felt his hands drawing dangerously close to one of her sensitive area. "You wouldn't dare!" she said her eyes widening in horror. He didn't bother to answer, he only looked at her with an evil smile. Moments later, she was frantically squirming, trying to break free from his iron grip as he tickled her senseless. "Inuyashaaaa!!! St… Stop it… Please!!!" she squealed desperately. "I'm sorrrrrrryyyyy! I swear!!!!!"

"That's what happened to those who dared to make fun of me." He said in a triomphant voice.

"I swear, with an attitude like that, I might just have rethink my decision to stay in the past with you." She eventually managed to say once her breath had come back.

This brought the hanyou's playful mood to a screeching halt. "You're serious?" he asked incredulous.

"I like your ears too much to force you to hide them under a cap." She said with a smile. To emphasize her point, she brought her hand to his ears and started to rub them gently elicting a soft growl of appreciation from Inuyasha.

"You really are the most incredible woman I've ever met." He said looking at her fondly. "I mean, what woman would actually ask a man to marry her, it's generally the other way around." He added wryly.

"That's funny, I don't remember _asking_ you anything of the sort." She mused with an innocent look in her eyes.

He was about to retort when he realised that she was technically telling the truth. He chuckled slightly before going down on one knee. He took her hands in his lightly and looked at her intently. "Kagome Higurashi, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" he asked, knowing full well what the answer would be.

"Yes, I will." She answered, smiling brightly at him.

He could only smile back before embracing her for the second time this day. As reason gave way to passion once again, he could feel the fear that had paralysed his heart up to now dissolve away before the simple realisation that he would never be alone again.

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**Author's note:** You wouldn't believe how much trouble I had writing this chapter. It took me three days to come up with what you've just read. I hope everyone likes it. Well that's pretty much all I have to say for this chapter, it's longer than it's predecessors but still a bit on the short side. Well then, as always, read and review.  



	7. Epilogue: My family

**Disclaimer:** For the last time, I do not own Inuyasha and the gang!!!!!

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Epilogue : My family**

"Inuyasha, I swear, if you keep pacing like this, you're going to wear away the floor." shot an annoyed Miroku.

The said hanyou was currently walking back and forth in the common room of his and Kagome's house. It had been one year since their fateful confession under the goshinboku, one year of hardship and trials for the new couple as they settled down in Kaede's village, but most of all, one year of love and happiness. When nine months ago, he had found that his wife was pregnant, he had been extactic, now though he was beside himself with nervousness as she was currently giving birth to their child.

"Dammit Miroku, she's been at it for hours! You can't possibly expect me to behave like everything's alright!" he snapped back.

"Trust me I know how you feel Inuyasha." He began while looking fondly at his own son, no more than a month old, sleeping peacefully in a makeshift bed a few paces away. "But with Sango and Kaede at her side, she could not be in more capable hands." he finished.

He knew the monk was right, but he couldn't help the feeling of helplessness that plagued his soul. Kagome was currently enduring an unspeakable amount of pain and he could do nothing to ease it. He loathed this feeling and it was killing him. _"I guess that this is how Miroku felt a month ago when his son was born." _Reflected the hanyou.

With a sigh, he flopped down in front of the monk in his usual position, hands in the sleeves of his haori and his feets joined together. "How long did Sango take to deliver Sogiro?" he asked, trying to gauge his wife's birth giving with one he knew had gone well.

"Well if I remember correctly, it took her about four hour. It means nothing though, as the time is always different from one pregnancy to another." answered the monk.

Inuyasha only nodded at this and fell silent. As minutes ticked by, Miroku could see the signs of barely controlled nervosity develop in the hanyou's features. His ears kept flipping in the direction of Kagome's room at every sound. His face was sporting a serene expression, but upon closer inspection, one could see that his jaw was clenched and his eyebrows kept flickering. The monk could not see the hands of Inuyasha as they were in the sleeves of his haori, but he was willing to bet that his claws were currently digging in the flesh of his arms to the point of drawing blood. _"He looks like a volcano ready to explode." _he reflected before averting his gaze.

The hanyou didn't know exactly how long he had been sitting there, tearing his arms apart with his claws. He was focusing all his attention on the pain in a desperate attempt to prevent his mind from wandering. His battle was brought to an end however when a loud wail pierced the silence. He was on his feet in an instant and he practically flew to the room where his wife was giving birth.

In seconds, he was standing in front of the door and threw it open. He froze at the scene playing in front of his eyes. Kagome was lying on the futon visibly exhausted. Her face was drenched in sweat and she was still panting heavily from the ordeal she had just endured. She was currently holding a bundle of cloths and was looking at it with a look that made his heart melt. The tenderness, the love and also the tinge of maternal pride as she rocked the form gently made him almost feel out of place.

The crying stopped almost as soon as she started her gentle motion. She raised her gaze then and her smile widened at seeing him. "Inuyasha, come in." She whispered in order not to disturb the sleeping form in her arms.

The sound of her voice brought him back to the present and he entered the room, almost afraid of what he would see. "Inuyasha… meet your daughter." She said once he had made his way to her. She then proceeded to lift a corner of the cloths surrounding the child to allow him to get a better view.

When his eyes fell on the form lying in Kagome's arms, time itself seem to stop. He didn't notice when Kaede and Sango left the room, he didn't notice when they closed the door nor did he noticed their footsteps retreating down the hall. All he could see was the two small golden orbs looking at him curiously.

"So tiny…" he murmured marvelling at the perfection layed before him.

With infinite precautions, he started to trace her features with his index. First, he grazed the small dog ears on top of her head, causing them to twich in annoyance. He then slid down one of her still sparse black hair all the way down to her cheek. Upon reaching the corner of her mouth though, she surprised him by capturing the tip of his claw with her lips and starting to suck on it vigorously. She even went so far as to grab the finger with both hands in order to prevent it from fleeing.

He looked in amazement at Kagome who only giggled at her mate's predicament. "Looks like she already loves you." She said, humor evident in her voice.

"Well at least she loves my finger." retorted the hanyou as amused as his spouse. "I swear if she keeps sucking like this, my claw's going to come off." He added only half joking this time.

"What a sight, the mighty Inuyasha bested by a newborn baby." Teased Kagome.

"Anyone with a heart would be bested by such beauty and innocence." he answered simply, surprising Kagome in the process.

"Looks like _someone_ grew up while I wasn't looking." She added after gawking at him for a few seconds.

"Feh! You're one to talk." Answered the hanyou, shooting her a knowing glance.

It was true, she reflected. The life growing in her belly had transformed her. Over the course of the year, she had changed from Kagome the woman to Kagome the mother. She had been so wrapped up in her own metamorphosis that she had failed to notice that her husband had actually undergone similar changes.

"You're right, we've both grown up." She said beaming up at him. "We're not just a couple anymore… we're a family."

"A family…" he whispered softly, shifting his gaze from his wife's shining face to his daughter's innocent one. A myriad of emotions swept over him as he looked at them. He felt proud, he felt happy, he felt content, he even felt a bit anxious, but most of all, he felt loved and he felt accepted.

"Yes… a family." he finally repeated a huge smile creeping on his face.

And as he looked once again at his wife and daughter, he knew he had found his place in the world. He knew he had found his heart's destination.

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**Author's note:** Well that's it people, the end of heart's destination. Thank to all those who reviewed, I'm glad that you liked my story and sorry if it is on the short side. I never really intended to make it into a big project, it was more of a way to test my own abilities. Whatever anyone may say, I'm proud of the result and I'm happy to have received such positive reviews :))). On a brighter note, I started to work on another fiction, which will be much bigger than this one, visit my profile page for the details. I will report my progress regurlarly so stay posted.  



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